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Secondary wood that a lot of traditional cabinets use poplar as a secondary wood, but I prefer the look of maple. Is poplar a better choice than hard maple as a secondary wood in fine furniture making? -Dave Brown, San Francisco Q & A Q cally were local woods, so they do vary from region to region. Poplar often is less expensive than maple, and it's easier to use because it is softer. These concerns influenced woodworkers in the past, and they still do today. However, if you are willing to do the A extra work and pay the difference, there is no reason why you should not use maple as a secondary wood. [Mike Dunbar is a contributing editor.) Mike Dunbar replies: Secondary woods used in period furniture typi- I plan to build a desk with mahogany as the primary wood. I have noticed (contin ued) Stepped or back bevel? "stepped bevel." Is a stepped bevel the same thing as a back bevel? If not, what's the difference? -Thom Smith, Hamilton, Mass. Q A Garrett Hack replies: No, a stepped bevel is not the same as a back bevel. The term "stepped bevel" refers to a microbevel or secondary bevel that can be honed to the bevel side of the cutting edges of chisels and plane irons. The steps are the main bevel and then a slightly steeper microbevel. This is quite different from a back bevel-a tricky little bevel honed to the flat side of some tools. A microbevel strengthens the cutting edge considerably while still retaining the advantages of a finer bevel that can slice tl1rough wood fibers easily. Another advantage of a microbevel is that it is altered quickly, making it easier to tune your tools for varied work. Clear pitch-pocket filler paper. Scratches leave a cloudy appearance, so sand with progressively finer grits until you get down to 600 or 1,200 grit. Epoxy does have drawbacks; it is not resistant to ultraviolet light, and it eventually will turn opaque and crumble from exposure to bright sunlight. Finally, check for compatibility with the varnish you'll be using. [Christian Becksvoort is a contributing editor.) Q A I have a cherry tabletop with some pitch pockets. I like the look of the pitch pockets, but I'd like to fill them flat with clear filler before finishing the tabletop with a wiping varnish. Grain or pore fillers tend to be too thin to fill large holes, and I cannot find a wood filler that dries clear. Any ideas? -Mike Salvatori, Honolulu Christian Becksvoort replies: Use a five-minute epoxy, which is clear and sets up quickly. Let it harden for at least two hours, then sand it smootl1 with silicon-carbide I would avoid tl1e back bevel because it has limited advantages and is timeconsuming to get rid of when retruing your plane for everyday benchwork. [Garrett Hack is a conuibuting editor.) A friend gave me a sharpening lesson, during which he referred to a Stepped or microbevel on beveled edge of plane blade Epoxy is an invisible filler for pitch pockets. To fill pitch pockets without discoloring them, mix a small amount of five-minute epoxy in the base of a paper cup. 102 FINE WOODWORKING Use care in filling pockets. Flat toothpicks are a handy tool for dripping small amounts of epoxy into holes without spillage. Sand after the epoxy has cured. Use a hard sanding block to avoid causing a hollow in the wood surrounding the pocket. Drawings Vince Babak